In another example, MillerCoors partnerd with ESPN.com to advertise on ESPN’s “Alumni Bar Finder,” a database that helps sports fans find bars where alumni from certain colleges and fans of specific teams are known to gather.

“It’s a way to deliver value in the context of where the consumer is,” he said.

Such efforts help MillerCoors intercept consumers and motivate them to consider its brands.

“It may not close the sale, but it gets them thinking about your brands,” he said.